John McDougall Christie, a professor emeritus of geology at UCLA and longtime resident of Pacific Palisades, died on May 7 at his home, surrounded by his family and his orchids. He was 72. Christie grew orchids of every kind for over 40 years and was past president of both the Malibu Orchid Society and the Orchid Society of Southern California. He lectured on the culture of orchids and amazed many with his encyclopedic command of the classification and botanical names of almost every plant. He enjoyed the temperate climate of Southern California and the wide range of plants that thrive here. He loved to share his gardening expertise about all kinds of plants, camellias, fuchsias, local trees, as well as orchids and inspired many beginning orchid growers and home gardeners. He will also be remembered by many Palisadians for his involvement with No Oil, Inc., in their long and successful fight against Occidental Petroleum’s bid to drill near the beach, between Potrero Canyon and Temescal Canyon, in the 1970s. Born on December 4, 1931 in Calcutta, India, where his father ran a jute mill, Christie soon returned with his family to Invergowrie, Scotland, in 1935 and was educated in Dundee. He earned his bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. from Edinburgh University, and did his research work in the Highlands of Scotland. In 1956, he emigrated to the United States as a researcher and instructor at Pomona College and married Helen Herd, also of Invergowrie, Scotland, in 1957. In 1958, Christie joined the faculty of the geology department at UCLA and began a distinguished career as a professor and researcher in structural geology. His specialty was quartz crystals and their deformation in laboratory and field conditions; his research interests ranged from the White and Inyo Mountains of eastern California (with a special preference for the rocks surrounding the Papoose Flat Pluton) to the microscope, measuring the crystallographic orientation of quartz grains. His expertise in transmission electron microscopy led to his work with NASA on the first rock samples to return from the moon. This was also one of the few instances when Christie became interested in rocks devoid of quartz. As a professor and graduate student advisor, Christie influenced the careers and lives of countless students, sharing not only his professional knowledge but also his personal interests and encouragement. His home was often filled with students for dinner parties and late-night discussions on subjects ranging widely from geology, horticulture, Napa Valley wines, current events and the virtues of single malt Scotch to the possibility of the existence of the Loch Ness monster. Professor, colleague, orchid grower, Scotsman, mentor, husband, friend, and father, Christie shared his encyclopedic knowledge of many subjects generously and with a dry wit. He will long be remembered by the many people whose lives he touched. He is survived by his wife, Spring Verity of Pacific Palisades; the three children from his first marriage, all of whom grew up in the Palisades and graduated from Palisades High: Catherine Johnson (husband Larry) of Mar Vista, Donald of Los Angeles, and Ann Ketelaar (husband David) of Pismo Beach; grandchildren Ian and Megan Johnson and Vincent and Andrew Ketelaar; and his former wife, Helen Christie of Santa Monica. A memorial service is planned for September at UCLA. Please contact the family for more information.
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